The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

Chap. 1. the tenth Diuision.

T. C. Pag 49. Line. 2.

And it is not nothing, that Aristotle disputeth against Plato his communitie, which would haue all thyngs common, and that all men indifferently shoulde haue care of all things, and shoulde haue nothing, whiche he shoulde saye to be his owne. For therein Aristotle saide verye well, that that which was (*) 1.1 cared for of all men, was neglected of all, and cared for of none: so that the preser∣uation of wife or Children, or of any other possession, was then the best and surest, when as euery man had a certaine possession committed vnto him, whiche he shoulde care for, and take charge of. And so the Lord his wisedome was for the better suertie and saluation of his Church, not to make many Ministers, which should in common and indifferently take care of all, but ordeyned that the Church should be deuided in diuerse partes, and that euery one should haue a peece to care for, and to giue accompt for.

Io Whitgifte.

What hath Aristotle to do with non residence? Authoritie is scarse when his helpe is* 1.2 required. But what saith he? forsoth, that that which was cared for of all men, was neglected of all. I thinke that you report not Aristotles wordes truely: for as farre as I remem∣ber, he sayth that that which is common to all, is neglected of all. The other can not be true, for that which is cared for of all men, can not be neglected of all (for to care for, and to neglect, be contraries) but must of necessitie be well prouided for, and looked vnto. But to what purpose do you alleage this? Bycause I saye that no man must so loke to his priuate* 1.3 charge, that he neglect the other partes of the Church: do I therefore say that there is no priuate charge, but all things are in common? It is the duetie of euery member in the common wealth so to loke to his owne priuate affaires and businesse, that he neg∣lect not the common state of his country: are all things therfore common? neither did Aristotle euer teach that a man should so care for his certaine possession, that he preferred not the common vtilitie before it: and so likewise Christ hath deuided to euery man a portion of hie Church to care for, but yet not so, that he should thinke himself no lon∣ger bound to the whole, or that he must now cease from profiting the whole.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  You speake contraries.
• * 1.2

  Aristotle not rightly allea ged.
• * 1.3

  A mā hauyng a priuate charge▪ ought to care for the whole.